Chapter 5 Ch5 - Where she'd been tonight

The door opened.

Rome had run into some issues with the company's acquisition case today, preventing him from flying abroad for a meeting as scheduled, so his departure was pushed to the day after tomorrow.

His assistant had asked him earlier this afternoon whether he should inform his wife. Rome, knowing they hardly crossed paths at the apartment, figured it didn't matter whether he went home or not.

Loosening his tie, he was about to head upstairs to the bedroom when, after taking two steps, he caught sight of a bit of skirt fabric in the side lounge.

Hesitating for a moment, he decided to go check it out.

A flushed face came into view. Her eyes were closed, her long lashes softly resting on her skin.

Rome glanced at the person sleeping soundly on the couch. She was only wearing a dress, her blazer casually draped over the back of a chair. He grabbed a thin blanket nearby and placed it over her.

He stared at her for a couple of seconds. The girl didn't move. Had she gone out partying as soon as he left for his trip? He didn't really know much about his wife or where she'd been tonight.

Taking a few steps away, Rome stopped, massaged his temples, then walked back to the couch and gently tapped Sofia.

It took several soft taps before Sofia groggily opened her eyes. A handsome face came into view, and despite still being quite drunk, she started giggling.

How much had she had to drink? Rome's expression cooled slightly. "Wake up, go back to your room."

Luckily, Sofia seemed to understand him. Her eyes half-closed, she slowly pushed herself up while Rome quietly waited beside her.

The moment her feet touched the floor and she stood up, she only managed to take two steps before stumbling, her legs tripping over each other.

Just as she was about to fall, a strong hand quickly wrapped around her waist.

She immediately found support, her soft body leaning into Rome's chest.

Rome's throat tightened, and his hand instinctively gripped her waist a bit tighter, afraid she might slip. Her waist was so slender that it seemed like he could wrap both hands around it completely.

He lowered his head and murmured in a deep voice, "Hey."

Leaning against his broad chest, Sofia's eyelashes fluttered twice before her eyes closed again.

The room was completely silent. Their breaths intertwined.

Rome, who hadn't touched a drop of alcohol that day, felt like he was also getting drunk.

Like a breeze stirring his heartstrings.

After trying once more to wake Sofia without success, he bent down, slipping his other arm under her knees, and lifted her up.

With steady steps, he carried her upstairs and gently placed her on the bed.

He turned away with a sigh.

---

The next morning, Sofia woke up with no recollection of how she had made it back to her bedroom.

It was a weekend, and she had originally planned to sleep in a little longer, but the sticky feeling on her skin forced her to get up and take a shower.

As she went downstairs for breakfast, she was surprised to see Rome in the dining room, legs crossed as he looked over a company report on his tablet while sipping coffee.

"Huh? Weren't you supposed to be on a business trip?"

Rome glanced at her briefly before turning back to his tablet. "It's been postponed to the day after tomorrow."

He couldn't quite explain why he hadn't left the house by his usual 7:30 a.m. and had instead lingered for a while longer.

Sofia acknowledged him with a small "I see" and then sat down at the far end of the table. The twelve-seater dining table made the distance between them seem even more pronounced, a stark reminder of the coldness in their relationship.

Still, since they'd run into each other, Sofia remembered she had something to tell him. Taking a sip of her milk, she said, "Rome, I met with Grandpa's friend yesterday. He's invited me to work at his studio, so I'll be leaving the auction house at the end of this month."

She gave a brief update about her career plans, feeling it was something her "husband" should know.

Rome assumed she was upset because he hadn't told her in advance about the change in his travel plans, so she was "demonstrating" the proper way to communicate.

"Alright, got it," he replied.

Turning away, he asked his assistant to get Sofia's phone number. Next time his schedule changed, he'd make sure to inform her in advance.

---

Later, when Sofia returned to the bedroom, her best friend Luna called, her voice filled with excitement.

"Sofia!!!" Luna practically screamed into the phone.

Sofia pulled the phone away from her ear for a moment, waiting for the noise to die down before putting it back.

"I've missed you so much! I'm finally back!"

"You mean you're already here?" Sofia asked, hearing what sounded like airport announcements in the background.

"Yup! Surprise! Did I catch you off guard?" Luna had been holding back from contacting Sofia for two whole weeks, just so she could surprise her in person.

"Really?! I'm so happy! We haven't seen each other in ages. How long are you staying?"

"Ugh, don't even ask. It seems like my mom wants me to stay here for good," Luna grumbled.

Sofia and Luna had been classmates from elementary school through high school, only separating when they got into different majors at university.

Luna had graduated from law school abroad and had vowed to make her mark overseas so her mother would abandon any plans of forcing her to inherit the family business.

But after just two years as a trainee lawyer, Luna had been ordered back home by her mother.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to take it one step at a time," Sofia said sympathetically.

"Enough of this gloomy talk! Let's go out tonight and celebrate!"

Sofia picked out a soft knit outfit from the seasonal clothes the maid had brought in-a light blue vest with a matching short jacket, paired with a dark blue skirt that accentuated her figure, creating a polished yet gentle look.

After sitting at her vanity to put on her earrings and jewelry, she hesitated for a moment while turning the wedding ring on her finger.

Finally, she slipped it off and left it on the table.

That evening, she followed Luna's directions to a bar.

The moment Luna saw her, she threw herself into Sofia's arms, shaking her side to side with excitement. "Sofia!!! Let me look at you! You're gorgeous as always, still my beautiful bestie!"

"And you're just as beautiful!" Sofia replied, feeling like Luna might have jumped on her if she weren't wearing stilettos.

Luna quickly pulled her inside the bar. With its luxurious exterior and exclusive membership, it wasn't a place just anyone could get into.

"We're not sitting in a private booth today. Let me tell you, the guys here are rich and handsome. Tonight, you're going to find one, seal the deal, and make sure your dad never dares arrange another marriage for you!"

Luna gave a satisfied nod, clearly pleased with her plan. "What do you think? Am I a genius or what?"

Sofia's gaze flickered guiltily around the room. She hadn't had the chance to tell Luna that she was already married.

Even in front of her best friend, it was hard to bring up.

She absentmindedly touched her nose. "You don't need to worry about me. You should be more concerned about your own situation."

Luna was easily distracted. "You're right. But I've already picked out my target."

"Huh? That fast?"

Luna grinned slyly. "Give me a week, and I'll have him wrapped around my finger!"

In the upper class circles, marriages based on love weren't unheard of, but they were mostly rooted in alliances between families of equal standing.

"You're really willing to give up your bags and cars?" Sofia teased.

"No way! That's why I need to find someone my mom can't pick apart. There's no way I'm agreeing to some arranged marriage with a guy I've only met twice!" Luna fumed.

Sofia didn't know how to respond. After all, she herself had married someone she'd only met once. It seemed like tonight wasn't the right time to confess.